Tech Out in Front in NCAA East Regional Golf

May 17, 2007

Alpharetta, Ga. – Cameron Tringale shot a 5-under-par 67, and Chesson Hadley carded a 68 to pace Georgia Tech to a 4-under-par team total of 284 Thursday, and the 10th-ranked Yellow Jackets took a two-shot lead over Georgia after the first round of the NCAA East Regional golf tournament at The Golf Club of Georgia.

Tringale, a sophomore from Laguna Niguel, Calif., and Hadley, a freshman from Raleigh, N.C., stand atop the leaderboard individually. Bryan Rozier of Jacksonville State, Chris Gold of Maryland, Clark Klaasen of Duke are tied for third place at 3-under 69, while Brendon Todd of Georgia is in a tie for sixth at 2-under 70 with Keegan Bradley of St. John’s.

Georgia, the nation’s top-ranked team, went around the 7,017-yard Lakeside Course Thursday at 2-under 286, while Duke stood third at even-par 288. Georgia State was fourth at 1-over 289, and Florida was fifth at 290.

The Yellow Jackets, who started on the 10th hole of the Lakeside Course, made their hay on the closing nine, where Tringale and Hadley each scored three birdies with no bogeys. Tech senior Roberto Castro shook off a 4-over-par opening nine to play even par coming in until closing with a birdie at the par-5 ninth hole.

“When you get two great rounds like Cameron and Chesson had today, it gets you started off in the right way,” said Tech head coach Bruce Heppler. “Roberto struggled on the back (his first) nine, but he was 1-under on the front. We struggled on the back. When the wind blows, the back’s a lot harder.”

Tringale built his round by hitting his approach shots close and had only one birdie putt longer than 10 feet.

“I was wedging the ball really well, which helps,” said Tringale, an all-ACC performer ranked No. 22 in the nation. “I made a long [putt] on two, but the rest were all within six feet or so.”

Auburn, Clemson, Maryland, Charlotte and Penn State rounded out the top 10 after 18 holes. The top 10 teams after 54 holes, plus two individuals not on those teams, will advance to the NCAA Division I Championship May 30-June 2 at the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club in Williamsburg, Va.

The second round of the East Regional begins at 7 a.m. Friday, with the final round scheduled for Saturday. Click here to follow live scoring.